Events DC Becomes the Presenting Sponsor of Annual DC JazzFest

WASHINGTON, DC (March 6, 2018) – Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, and the DC Jazz Festival® (DCJF) announced today that Events DC is the presenting sponsor of the 2018 DC JazzFest. The sponsorship expansion builds upon Events DC’s existing six-year relationship with the dynamic jazz nonprofit, reinforces the authority’s mission of leveraging the attraction of the nation’s capital with one-of-a-kind event experiences, and raises the profile of the District as a premier destination for jazz and jazz-extension.

With more than 125 performances in 40+ venues featuring more than 300 artists, the DC JazzFest presented by Events DC is comprised of a variety of programming elements that are at the core of Events DC’s role within the city. Jazz in the ‘Hoods presented by Events DC brings performances to more than 27 DC neighborhoods, providing concerts for residents near their homes. Events DC and DC JazzFest also work with the city’s robust diplomatic community through the Fishman Embassy Series to showcase a variety of international jazz musicians. The capstone concert weekend, Events DC presents DC Jazz Fest at The Wharf, provides the city with a unique musical showcase in the backdrop of the newest District hotspot at The Wharf.

“We are proud to be the presenting sponsor of such a paramount event as DC JazzFest that recognizes and celebrates a quintessential American music genre that has the exceptional ability of uniting people from diverse backgrounds,” said Erik A. Moses, senior vice president and managing director of sports, entertainment and special events at Events DC. “As the birthplace of Duke Ellington, Washington, DC has a rich jazz history and with our long-standing commitment to DC JazzFest, we’re excited to continue creating memorable experiences with the growth of this ten-day jazz takeover of the District.”

For nearly 14 years, the DC JazzFest® presented by Events DC has been both a pillar to the communities of the culturally-diverse nation’s capital, attracting thousands of visitors from across the U.S., and a key contributor to the city’s economic growth each year. Last year alone, more than 79,000 people attended DC JazzFest, which included more than 130 performances in approximately 40 venues across DC’s 68-square-miles, including DC JazzFest at The Yards, the culminating event.

“This expansion of our partnership with Events DC provides a tremendous boost to our mission of presenting both internationally-renowned and emerging artists to diverse audiences in every quadrant of the city,” said DCJF Executive Director Sunny Sumter. “We are also able to intensify our efforts to provide performance opportunities for the incredibly talented array of DC-based jazz musicians, and to offer free performances in a multitude of DC neighborhoods, including some in which residents might not otherwise have such an opportunity.”

The 2018 DC JazzFest presented by Events DC runs from June 8 through June 17. For more information, including performance dates and ticketing information, visit www.dcjazzfest.org.

About Events DC: Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, delivers premier event services and flexible venues across the nation’s capital. Leveraging the power of a world-class destination and creating amazing attendee experiences, Events DC generates economic and community benefits through the attraction and promotion of business, athletic, entertainment and cultural activities. Events DC oversees the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District’s hospitality and tourism economy that generates over $400 million annually in total economic impact, and the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. Events DC manages the Stadium-Armory campus, which includes Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium and surrounding Festival Grounds, the non-military functions of the DC Armory and Maloof Skate Park at RFK Stadium. Events DC also built and now serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States. The most recent addition is Gateway DC, an innovative and versatile space featuring a covered and open-air pavilion in the center of a 1-acre park, conveniently located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.eventsdc.com and find us on social media – Facebook (Events DC), Twitter (@TheEventsDC and @TheEventsDC_SED for the Sports Entertainment and Special Events Division), and Instagram (@EventsDC).

About the DC Jazz Festival: Since 2005, the DC Jazz Festival® (DCJF) organization has provided enriching and entertaining jazz performances and programs that introduce students and adults from all walks of life to jazz, our nation’s singular original art form. DCJF presents a selection of the jazz genre’s most acclaimed artists as well as emerging artists, and provides enhanced exposure for the rich treasure trove of musicians from the Washington, DC area. Throughout the year, the DCJF nourishes the community with free music educational programs that extend our reach into underserved communities and enhance the quality of life for DC public and charter school students.

The DC Jazz Festival®, a 501(c)(3) non-profit service organization, and its education programs are made possible, in part, with major grants from the Government of the District of Columbia, Muriel Bowser, Mayor; with awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment; and, in part, by major funding from Events DC, the Anne and Ronald Abramson Family Foundation, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Gillon Family Charitable Fund, Wells Fargo Foundation, The NEA Foundation, Venable Foundation, The Mayo Charitable Foundation, The Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, The Reva & David Logan Foundation, John Edward Fowler Memorial Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation and the Humanities Council of DC.